Surgical Scope Thermal Treatment with Ramp Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Surgical scopes used in medical procedures often face issues with temperature mismatch, leading to image distortion, tissue trauma, and hypothermia due to inadequate temperature control during warming, and existing warming methods can damage the scopes and introduce chemicals into the patient.

Innovation Solution

A thermal treatment system with a housing, basin, and ramp structure that allows surgical instruments to be thermally treated in a controlled liquid medium while keeping optics dry, using a temperature-controlled heating unit and a sterile drape to maintain sterility and prevent damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If surgical scopes are warmed in an insulated container filled with warm liquid, then the scope temperature can be increased to prevent fogging and tissue trauma, but the scope may come into contact with the container sides and bottom causing damage, and the temperature cannot be precisely controlled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescope temperatureVSAvoidscope integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a specialized container with a support structure that acts as an intermediary between the scope and the container bottom. The support structure elevates the scope, preventing direct contact with the container sides and bottom, thereby avoiding damage while still allowing thermal treatment through the liquid medium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements temperature control mechanisms that allow precise adjustment of the liquid medium temperature. This enables the scope to be warmed to the exact required temperature without overheating, preventing both fogging and tissue trauma while maintaining scope integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If surgical scopes are warmed in an insulated container, then the scope temperature can be increased, but the temperature of the scope is not precisely known by medical personnel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescope temperatureVSAvoidtemperature measurement

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates temperature sensing and control systems that provide real-time feedback on the liquid medium and scope temperature. This allows medical personnel to monitor and adjust the temperature to precise levels, ensuring the scope reaches the desired temperature without exceeding it.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If chemical wipes or sprays are used to reduce fogging instead of warming scopes, then fogging can be prevented, but the chemical may be inadvertently introduced into the patient causing complications

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefoggingVSAvoidchemical contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces chemical methods with a thermal treatment system. Instead of using chemical wipes or sprays to prevent fogging, the system uses controlled heating of the scope in a liquid medium to raise the scope temperature above the dew point, thereby preventing condensation and fogging through thermal means alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Loss of time

If surgical scopes are not warmed prior to insertion, then the procedure can proceed quickly, but the scope may fog due to temperature difference and cause tissue trauma or hypothermia

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewarming timeVSAvoidfogging and tissue trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a pre-warming system that heats the scope to the required temperature before the surgical procedure begins. The support structure and temperature control system are designed to efficiently warm the scope in advance, eliminating delays during the procedure while preventing fogging and tissue trauma.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables precise temperature control for surgical scopes, reducing tissue trauma, maintaining image clarity, and preventing scope damage, while ensuring the optics remain dry and free from chemical contamination.

Implementation Method 1

a heating unit to heat the liquid medium to a controlled temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

thermally treating at least the first end portion of the surgical instrument submerged within the liquid medium

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2700375B1Selective thermal treatment of medical instrument portions with thermal treatment system instrument holder

Publication Date: 2018.10.24 ECOLAB USA INC

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AI summary

A thermal treatment system for thermally treating objects includes a housing including a top surface, a basin recessed into the top surface and configured to contain a liquid medium, where the liquid medium thermally treats objects placed within the liquid medium, and a ramp structure disposed on the top surface of the housing. The ramp structure is configured to support at least one object such that a first end portion of the object is disposed within the liquid medium while a second end portion of the object is supported by the ramp structure outside of the liquid medium.